The last chance of Esteban Ocon to find a flywheel in F1 for 2019 flew away. Next year, the Williams team will line up the British George Russel and the Polish Robert Kubica, who is back in F1 seven years after his serious accident in rallies.
It's now official, Robert Kubica, the miracle of F1, will return to Williams next year. Seven years after his serious rally accident in Italy, which had seen him miss an arm, the Polish driver is back. It will be in the Grove stable, with rookie George Russel as a teammate. In fact, Normand Ocon will not be starting in 2019.
"First of all, I would like to thank all the people who have helped me during a difficult period of my life in recent years," says Robert Kubica, 33 . Returning to the F1 paddock has been a challenge, but what seemed almost impossible is now becoming possible, and I'm delighted to say that I will be starting in 2019. "
A pure product of the Renault training program, the Polish driver started in F1 in 2006, replacing Jacques Villeneuve at BMW Sauber. Kubica quickly marked the spirits by his speed. After a serious accident in Canada in 2007, which caused him to be considered a miraculum, and was even one of the elements of the investigation for the beatification of John Paul II.
The shock did not end his career, and a year later, on the same circuit of Canada, Kubica won his first victory, always with BMW Sauber. In 2009, however, the performance of the BMW are at half mast, and the German team puts an end to its program at the end of the season. Kubica then joins Renault, where he meets Eric Boullier, the Mayennais, as boss.
#KubicaAnnounced pic.twitter.com/U4Lw6RdJO1
- WILLIAMS RACING (@WilliamsRacing) November 22, 2018After a good 2010 season, Kubica hopes to materialize in 2011, but a serious accident at the wheel of a Skoda, in rallies, spoils everything. A safety rail crosses the passenger compartment of his car and cuts off his arm. Kubica must put an end to his career in F1. He is trying to revive his motorsport career with the WRC rallies between 2011 and 2015, with no real success, except for his WRC-2 victory in 2013.
He turns to the circuit again in 2016, and after an attempt in WEC in early 2017, he gets closer to Williams, takes the wheel of an F1 with Renault in the summer of 2017, before doing the same with Williams at the end of the season. He will be a reserve pilot in 2018 for the British team, before being made official for 2019.
"Certainly, the road has been long to get to this point, but as this challenge ends with this announcement, a new one is now starting with Williams. It will not be easy, but with the hard work and dedication we are going to put, George and I will work together to help the team progress further up the grid. This year has been tough, but I have learned a lot and I want to thank Sir Frank and Claire for this opportunity. "
The Cracow rider will be back in F1 in Australia in 2019. He took part in his last race in Abu Dhabi in 2010. "My return to F1 next season will be one of the greatest achievements of the year. my life. I am confident that with hard work and commitment we can help motivate the team to do great things together. Thank you again to all who supported me and believed in me. "